Driving mechanism for vehicles.



Former G. Gamma or roar WAYNE, rn'nrana;

specification ofiLettersPatent.

implication rileclilleccmber 31, 1909. Serial No. 535,827.

oil whom it may cone it known that l, en of the United Fort llfayne, Ali e county; Indiana, have invented new and useful- Driving Meclr anisms for Vehicles, of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to a connecting mechanism, more particularly of the coinpensating type operable in two direct-ions.

utility when adapted anger (it. GAUN'rr, tates, resichng at This invention has to a driving .i'nechanism which may be opera Lil independently thereof, or in either of two directions, as in connection with motor vehicles serving for COHIi'JMISZLClHg gearin w Referring to the drawings: l igine 1 is-a agmentary plan view of an embodiment of 1e device in vehicle driving mechanism; big. 2 is adetail view of the connecting mechanism on the line II-II, Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a similar view, with parts broken away,- the device being in position for backing the vehicle, instead of disconnected as in Fig. 2; ll is fragmentary view, partially in section, showing the locking elen'ient; and

is a detail view showing tl 1e overlapend feature of the expansiblo Wear or ion ring.

The vehicle body 1 is mounted upon the springs 2, which by the U-shaped clan'ipiug devices 3 are mounted on the casing 45 for the rear driving axle or shaft member loose y mounted on each end of the driving member 5 is a driven member or traction wheel 6, Each wheel 6 carries firmly bolted to its inner face the flanged disk member 7, the outer face of which flange 7 coacts with the brake band 8 operated by the lever 9.

Centrally of the shaft 5 is the housing 10 having loading therefrom the tubular casing ll in which the driving shaft 12, from. the

prime mover on the vehicle, extends to the housing 10. The shaft 12 is provided with the beveled gear 13 meshing with the gear 14 fixed on shaft 5.

Keyed near each end of the shaft 5 is the trip or engaging means 15, shown as of sogmeutal form and provided with spaced contact cheeks 1(3. Loosely mounted on shaft 5 adjacent the fixed trip 1.5 is the carrier 17, having pin 18 to 'pivotally mount the element 19 between the trip and the flange 7. The expansion ring 20 is urountcd within the flange 7 and has the checks of its open ends normally drawn toward the element 19 by the spring 21. Between the expansion ring 20 and the flange '7 is disposed the split wear or tlr' ction ring similar metal, as brass to eliminate the sudden concussion when'the driver is thrown in by gradually coming into holding on gagement,'as well as to'increase the elloetive ness o'f'the transmisshm lock. 19 is rocked to expandrihg 20; it fric ionally engages the inner-face of friction ring 52: 2 and then forces this rin 29 against the inner face of flange 7 to ly bring flange 2 up to speed. The ringZQ has its ends overlap at stepped portions 23 (Fig. to provide continuous wear surface in taking care of expansion. The expansion ring 20, when contracted by spring 21, is hold a '21 tron) the ring by pin 24 n'iountcd in the carrier. 17 to' aid in freeing from driving connection. ()pcning 25 through element l9 is to r spring 21.

With the driven or t action wheel traveling at a rate similar to or greater than the drive shaft, as in free running or wasting, or the outer wheel in turning, the connecting mechanism is free as shown in Fig. 52. The opening in segment 15 is of such width that in starting, say to back, a check 1.6 will knock element 19 to so look this element as to force the cheeks of the expansion ring 20 apart and connect up for driving. 'lnis o cuiug in element 153 permits considerable play for element L9. This 't'caturc precludes racing as well as prevents the mechanism t'rou'l being sens while the play range also allows oi sutliciout free swing between parts 15 and 15) for con-- cussi on therebetwcon to throw into locked relation as well as to force out of such relation. This spacil'lg of the pivoted element from thccheeks precludes racing as there is sullicient leeway between the parts that in freeing from one side the other is not locked to thereby cause constant vibration between driving in one direction and driving in the other direction. Such tossing back and forth is racing which the exteruled idle position in this structure avoids. This View of Fig. 3 is the position "for forward driving of the mechanism at the left in ll ig. l, or for backward driving of the mechanism to the right in Fig. 1. As soon as the relative speed of the shaft 5 and the driven member 7 is such that the former does not keep up, the spring 2L by drawing the checks of ring 20 inward not only flOQS the expansion ring 20 from driving relation with ring but brings Patented Sept- 1 2, 3191i 22, which may be of a dis- When clen'ient tive to each little tlmrtuation,

oil

element 19 into radial position ready for tripping in either direction by the fixed engaging means 15 and thereby again rocked into driving relation.

The mechanism comprises few parts, of simple and substantial form, effective for quick and reliable operation for connecting in either direction, disconnecting, as well as for compensating between difi'erently driven parts, as drive wheels in turning corners.

What is'claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination with rotatable driving and driven members, of a connecting mechanism embodying a relatively loosely mounted carrier provided with a. pivotal wedge element, an expansion device with which said pivoted element may coact, ieldable means connected to the expansion evice to center the wedge element, and an engaging element fixed with one of the members and provided with contacting cheeks spaced in excess of pivoted element locking move ment from the pivoted element to permit free range of movement of as great extent as the locking movement relatively to the pivoted elementto preclude racing and also allow of concussionbetween the elements.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. FOREST G. GAUNTT. Witnesses:

FRANKLIN P. Wm'r. WALTER D. MILLER 

